| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Bugs |
Have you got a wildlife pond?Most articles about doing your bit towards conservation say that providing water in your garden is one of the top things you can do to encourage and protect wildlife.I know a lot of people are concerned about mixing children and ponds, but you can get very sturdy covers, or have a small raised pond - which is also good for a small space. OH had a pond in a tub when I first knew him, which was frequently visited by birds and frogs - we've still got that. When we moved in to our house, before putting in heating or any of those minor things, we installed a small preformed pond - it was quickly populated with frog spawn. About two years ago we installed a series of three ponds with a flexible liner. This had toadspawn the first year, and both toad and frog spawn the second year. We also added some sticklebacks which seem to live in harmony with the toads and frogs (I'm sure some get eaten but enough survive. We also get news visiting. Plus dragonflies, hoverflies, damsel flies; wasps visitng to have a drink, birds bathing. In short, can't recommend a pond of some sort enough, and if it turns out many people have difficulty/concerns about installing their own I think it might be time for an article on the subject! |
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
we've a water feature at present, a really pathetic one, but Himself and I are keen to change that in to a proper pond and its on the project list for this year. | ||
| selfsufficientish |
Sorry for the blatant plug but I have two article on putting in a small pond on my site if you want to take a look.
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/pond.htm and http://www.selfsufficientish.com/photopond.htm poo just thought I would edit this a bit somehow managed to post it twice the first time (this ONe) half way through 
ah well, never mind 
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| selfsufficientish |
Sorry for the blatant plug but I have two articles on putting in a small pond on my site if you want to take a look.
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/pond.htm and http://www.selfsufficientish.com/photopond.htm Bugs don't let this stop you writing an article yourself. As you will see it is only a simple guide to how I put a pond in on my allotment 
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| Jonnyboy |
I have a stream! 
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| Bugs |
JB, I've put in an option just for you then!
Andy, I shall read your articles tonight...then I have to be careful not to repeat anything. I'm probably going to get the OH to do it because he's the one that did all the hard work, I just sit by the pond and look mermaid-like 
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| Jonnyboy |
Ta! | ||
| Treacodactyl |
You'll probably fall in one day. 
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| selfsufficientish |
If you need to repeat it then do so, I really don't mind. |
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| Andy B |
Best thing we ever did,gardening wise! I am waiting for all the frogs to turn up and get laying. It's amazing just how quickly the wild life find it. We get dragonflys, damselflys and darters and were in the middle of Brum
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| jema |
been plotting to put something in for years, but garden size wise it is not easy 
jema |
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| sean |
I'm not sure what ours qualifies as, it's about 5'square and partially raised. We've got some big stones in it so the birds can drink, and the sinks with herbs in are round it. We get frogs, damsel flies, dragon flies, and occasional toads(though they didn't breed in it last year). I've got a long term plan to make a big pond in our otherwise useless front garden. | ||
| selfsufficientish |
you can sink a washing up bowl and that should attract a few frogs ect . |
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| Bugs |
Or you could install a pot pond on your giant deck!
Ours is a half a trug/bucket buried in some soil in a half a barrel. The soil is planted up a bit with reeds etc, the water contains several plants as close to the edge as possible; frogs manage to get in and out quite well and we've had several damselflies hatch from it. Plus it's mobile. And you can build and plant it in a day. Will definitely have to get Treacodactyl to do this one! |
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| Rob R |
Here's the one at the bottom of my garden- it's getting a clean out this year
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| nettie |
I've got a plastic seed tray hidden in a shady corner of the garden, I made little steps up to it and inside it with stones. I get frogs in it every year!
And I love my bird bath, it's lovely watching them all have a good splash. |
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| wellington womble |
Two horrible water features here (himslef is anti- digging!) One of those bubble fountain things that just doesn't bubble, and a really horrible pre-fabricated two half barrels and a fake pump afair, that himslef liked (he usually has quite good taste) that sounds like a drunk peeing in the pond on a saturday night. it's in my new veg patch, and so is going (hurrah!)
I am thinking of combining the two in a shady spot near the patio where it is diffcult to grow stuff. I'll sink the larger of the two barrels, put the stones from the bubble fountain in for steps, and put the bubble fountain mechanics, just breaking the surface of the water (for a gentle trickly-type noise, as opposed to a running bath!) I'll keep the pump, and maybe combine it with the remains of the bubble pool, filled with stones. If it doesn't sound right, then I'll plonk it in the ivy. I'll put a pot plant for the paito in the smaller barrel. That's another project for my summer hols then (like I needed another one!). Any ideas for land plants that look watery for planting around the edge of the barrel. Need to like shade, soil OK. I'm not fussed about flowers, prefer green with water, and have lots of blue and white relaxing annuals in the bed already. |
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| Treacodactyl |
Ivy is a good bet. Plenty to choose from and they can make a good mat for animals to live in. The ivy can grow into the water and make the edges look more natural and it is easily moved & clipped. Another plant I use is Bugle (ajuga). It also creeps and can grow over the edge of the pond. Dies dow a bit in winter, |
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| Bugs |
You could consider watermint. I think it's a marginal...ours is currently mostly underwater, but in spring to summer the flowers are lovely and welcomed by bees.
We've also planted some seed-grown watercress in the edges of the pond, allegedly it helps with clearing the pond but if nothing else, it looks nice, is native (ish) and provides more cover and food for the pond life. Bugle is my favourite edging; shiny leaves and blue flowers...but it does die back and as TD says, ivy is an effective edging. Even though I'm not fond of ivy as a plant on its own, the frogs and insects definitely appreciate the cover. |